Food and Water Security

With continued population growth, Cairns is projected to face a drinking water shortfall by 2026, making the Cairns Water Security – Stage 1 (CWSS1) project critical for the region's future. Despite successful efforts in demand management, which have reduced per capita water use by 35% since 2006, a new water supply is essential to meet the city's needs. The Cairns Regional Council (CRC) has already secured $215 million in joint funding from the Queensland and Australian Governments, but rising costs due to inflation, material shortages, and other economic pressures have increased the project's total capital cost to $472 million. The recent flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper underscored the urgent need for disaster resilience, as treated water storage dropped to just 3%, putting the city's water supply and public health at risk. Advance Cairns joins CRC in advocating for an additional $257 million in funding from both state and federal governments to ensure the successful delivery of CWSS1. This funding is crucial not only to secure the water needs of Cairns' 198,000 residents and visitors but also to reduce cost-of-living pressures, build disaster resilience, and support the city's growth into the next decade.

Funding
This project has joint funding by the Australian and Queensland Governments.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Tropical North has developed a detailed business case for expanding irrigated agriculture in the Lakeland area, funded by a $10 million grant under the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund. The current 1,800-hectare irrigated area is limited by insufficient and unreliable water supplies. To address this, the proposed solution includes constructing a 296,000-megalitre dam to irrigate up to 10,000 hectares of high-quality land, using a small portion of the Mitchell River's outflow. This project is expected to generate up to $382 million annually in agricultural production, significantly boost the region's Gross Regional Product (GRP), and support population growth.

To move forward, bilateral government support is needed to advance the development approval process, secure funding, and review the Mitchell River Water Resource Plan. The state and federal government's commitment to expanding irrigated agriculture in Lakeland will be crucial in realising the project's substantial economic and social benefits.

The Etheridge Agricultural and Irrigation Precinct project seeks to streamline agricultural expansion by creating clear protocols for approvals and balancing environmental and Indigenous land considerations. With up to 530,000ha of prime agricultural land and 495,000ML of water available from the Gilbert River, the initiative could unlock significant economic potential. A $2.5m investment is needed to develop an implementation strategy, driving regional economic growth and diversification through improved water access, land use, and infrastructure planning.

The North Johnstone diversion involves transferring water from the Johnstone River to Lake Tinaroo to increase the water supply from Tinaroo Falls Dam. A 2020 feasibility study by Sunwater showed that the diversion could deliver up to 50,000ML annually. In 2021, the State Government's $9 million Regional Water Assessment Program (RWAP) recommended a detailed business case for the project within a 10-year timeframe. However, it's crucial that the Queensland Government shortens this timeline for the business case completion to ensure current and future water demand is met, securing the agricultural output from the region.

Explore more